Great stuff Dan. Love Zevon and Bill Lee. While my favorite Zevon albums are his first 3 (I don't count Wanted Dead or Alive, does anyone?), I also really like The Envoy, the album that followed Bad Luck Street. A different Zevon, with two songs that were actually uplifting and somewhat optimistic in tone -- Let Nothing Come Between Us and Looking for the Next Best Thing. I suspect the album's lack of commercial success greatly disappointed Zevon and really impacted him going forward.
I wonder sometimes where Zevon would be playing if he was alive today. Would he be able to fill places like The Beacon Theater or the Capitol Theater in Port Chester or even the Music Hall in Tarrytown? Or, more likely, would he be playing in smaller clubs like The Turning Point in Piermont, like Graham Parker and Willie Nile. By the way, would love to read something about Willie, who is still performing. Are you a fan?
I saw Flo & Eddie in the mid-80’s on a “Happy Together” reunion tour with Gary Puckett!! It was a small show, as you may have imagined.
Anyway, “Eddie” (Howard Kaylan) did an absolute dead-on Jim Morrison voice impression for a bit which was a real highlight of the show (for me, anyway)!
Great stuff Dan. Love Zevon and Bill Lee. While my favorite Zevon albums are his first 3 (I don't count Wanted Dead or Alive, does anyone?), I also really like The Envoy, the album that followed Bad Luck Street. A different Zevon, with two songs that were actually uplifting and somewhat optimistic in tone -- Let Nothing Come Between Us and Looking for the Next Best Thing. I suspect the album's lack of commercial success greatly disappointed Zevon and really impacted him going forward.
Yeah, his label dumped him after The Envoy — which I agree is an excellent record. I also really dig Sentimental Hygiene, its long-delayed followup!
I wonder sometimes where Zevon would be playing if he was alive today. Would he be able to fill places like The Beacon Theater or the Capitol Theater in Port Chester or even the Music Hall in Tarrytown? Or, more likely, would he be playing in smaller clubs like The Turning Point in Piermont, like Graham Parker and Willie Nile. By the way, would love to read something about Willie, who is still performing. Are you a fan?
I am indeed a Willie Nile fan. Caught him in Beacon NY last May, and he was fantastic. And I actually wrote this about him last March: https://danepstein.substack.com/p/what-a-fine-thing-to-make-love-and
Huge Sentimental Hygiene fan. Also got heavily into the Hindu Love Gods for a brief period.
Oh yeah — I spun that HLG record a LOT when it first came out.
While my memory is suspect beyond 15 minutes ago, I seem to recall that Bill Lee hung a great nickname on Don Zimmer, dubbing him "The Gerbil."
You are correct, sir!
White Whale Records!
https://images.app.goo.gl/PUoL5wqneKC54Ebr7
When I was a kid, I totally thought "White Whale" was named in reference to how fat Flo and Eddie were!
I saw Flo & Eddie in the mid-80’s on a “Happy Together” reunion tour with Gary Puckett!! It was a small show, as you may have imagined.
Anyway, “Eddie” (Howard Kaylan) did an absolute dead-on Jim Morrison voice impression for a bit which was a real highlight of the show (for me, anyway)!
I saw the same gig in the 90s — though that time it was Mark Volman who was doing the "Morrison"!
Yeah, you’re probably right, and it most-likely was Volman. I think he did some Springsteen schtick as well. Sorry, ‘85 was a LONG TIME AGO!
Hahaha - no worries. They're both such talented dudes that I figured they just took turns "doing Jim" each night!
Long live Warren Zevon. So many great songs, and lyrics second to none.
LOVE THIS!
Thank you!